Strong social ties correspond with better health and well being, but the neural mechanisms linking social contact to health remain speculative. This study extends work on the social regulation of brain activity by supportive handholding in 110 participants (51 female) of diverse racial and socioeconomic origins. In addition to main effects of social regulation by handholding, we assessed the moderating effects of both perceived social support and relationship status (married, cohabiting, dating or platonic friends). Results suggest that, under threat of shock, handholding by familiar relational partners attenuates both subjective distress and activity in a network associated with salience, vigilance and regulatory self-control. Moreover, greater perceived social support corresponded with less brain activity in an extended network associated with similar processes, but only during partner handholding. In contrast, we did not observe any regulatory effects of handholding by strangers, and relationship status did not moderate the regulatory effects of partner handholding. These findings suggest that contact with a familiar relational partner is likely to attenuate subjective distress and a variety of neural responses associated with the presence of threat. This effect is likely enhanced by an individual's expectation of the availability of support from their wider social network.

Unwanted early sexual experiences (UESE) are traumatic experiences that many children worldwide are exposed to on a daily basis. Some of these victims struggle to adapt to life, whereas others become survivors, exhibiting post-traumatic growth after such an experience. South Africa has some of the highest UESE prevalence rates in the world, highlighting the importance of research conducted within this field in the country. With an overarching psychofortogenic framework, and through the implementation of a convergent parallel mixed methods research design, the study explored and described whether resilience and attachment act as mediators impacting upon the psychosocial sequelae which a UESE survivor might experience. The study was divided into three phases. Phase 1 consisted of a small-scale survey design which was conducted with 304 participants while Phase 2 consisted of nine semi-structure interviews with UESE survivors, who were volunteers from the original sample. Finally, Phase 3 provided an integrated summary of the findings from the first two phases. During Phase 1 significant findings relating to the survivors of UESE, their levels of resilience and attachment relationships were outlined. Of the total sample, 32.43% males and 30.5% females indicated that they had been exposed to a UESE. Most of the perpetrators were known to the survivors with friends being identified as the most common perpetrators. Parental relationships characterised by trust, open communication and less alienation were found to impact upon the degree to which participants reported being bothered by the UESE. Furthermore, parental alienation at the time of the UESE had a significantly negative impact on the survivors’ adult relationship styles. During Phase 2 a number of themes emerged including the manner of disclosure, reasons for delayed disclosure, relationship to the confidant, confidant’s response to disclosure, effects of the response to disclosure, the impact of the UESE upon the survivor, impact of the UESE on relationships, coping/resilience, advice to professionals, the confidant, and the survivor. The final phase confirmed the research hypothesis that resilience and attachment act as mediating factors impacting upon a variety of psychosocial sequelae which a UESE survivor might experience. Serendipitously, disclosure was found to be a mediating factor, securing a significant role within the study. In conclusion a future intervention titled ‘Post-Traumatic Growth: A UESE model of Disclosure, Resilience and Attachment’, was outlined, based on the study’s findings.

No description available.

Healthy maternal–infant attachment is the foundation on which a child’s physical, cognitive, psychological, and emotional development rests. This relationship between the dyad does not begin at birth but rather prior to conception or any time throughout pregnancy. Our understanding of how this relationship develops between a mother and her fetus remains largely intangible for researchers and clinicians alike as it is a highly complex process with many variables influencing the evolving bond. Situated within a poststructural critical feminist framework, the purpose of this qualitative study using a grounded theory approach was to gain a better understanding of how women who use substances during pregnancy experience the process of a developing relationship with their fetuses, and to identify intersecting variables that may influence their health behaviours. Five main categories emerged including choosing the mothering path, balancing the risks, needing safe passage, breaking the cycle, and mothering against all odds. All of the women in the study described feeling an increase in maternal–fetal attachment as the pregnancy progressed and demonstrated efforts to reduce substance use, engage with the health care system, and improve dietary choices to limit negative consequences for their developing fetuses. Barriers to changing health behaviours were identified by the participants as well as by health care providers working with this population. In gaining a deeper understanding of the variables that influence maternal–fetal attachment in women who use substances and development of a substantive theory, nursing practice may be informed by providing direction around how best to support harm reduction approaches in this population.

Non-suicidal self-injury (referred to hereafter as self-injury) is considered a serious health concern among young adult populations, and is associated with a host of devastating physical and psychological consequences (Hasking, Momeni, Swannell, & Chia, 2008). Self-injury encompasses both thoughts of harming oneself in addition to acts of self-injury. Elevated lifetime prevalence rates of 13-17% suggest that self-injury is an issue of widespread nature, with reports indicating that a considerable proportion of young adults engage in self-injurious thoughts and behaviours (Nixon, Cloutier, & Jansson, 2008; Swannell, Martin, Page, Hasking, & St John, 2014; Whitlock, Eckenrode, & Silverman, 2006). Identifying the factors that precede self-injury is crucial to advancing current clinical conceptualizations and treatment strategies for those engaging in such thoughts and behaviours (Schenk, Noll, & Cassarly, 2010). Despite the recognized role of romantic relationship experiences in contributing to the functioning and adjustment of the individuals comprising the romantic dyad, very little empirical attention has been paid to examining whether dimensions of romantic relationships are linked to the use of self-injury. The present thesis, consisting of two independent studies, sought to provide a better understanding of the factors underlying this troubling phenomenon by examining links between dimensions of romantic relationships and self-injurious thoughts and behaviours among community-based young adults involved in couple relationships. The studies presented in the present thesis were approved by the University of Ottawa’s Research Ethics Board (see Appendix A for the Ethics Approval Certificate). The first study involved testing a novel conceptual model in which intimate partner violence victimization (i.e., physical, psychological, and sexual violence) was examined as a potential mediator of the relationship between child maltreatment (i.e., neglect; witnessing family violence; and physical, psychological, and sexual abuse) and self-injurious thoughts and behaviours. The sample consisted of 406 young adults (346 females; M = 19.87 years) who were involved in a couple relationship for a duration of at least six months at the time of participation. Results from bootstrapping procedures partially supported the theory put forth. Intimate partner violence victimization partially mediated the direct effect of child maltreatment on self-injurious behaviours. Contrary to predictions, intimate partner violence victimization did not mediate the association between child maltreatment and self-injurious thoughts. Hence, findings suggest that individuals who have experienced both forms of family violence may be particularly vulnerable to engaging in self-injurious behaviours. The second study comprised an investigation of the links between the three romantic behavioural systems (consisting of the attachment, caregiving, and sexual systems) and self-injurious thoughts and behaviours, and examined the incremental contributions of the systems in the prediction of young adult self-injury. The sample consisted of 255 young adults (223 females; Mage = 19.98 years) currently involved in a couple relationship. Linear discriminant analyses revealed that participants endorsing self-injurious thoughts experienced greater attachment anxiety and avoidance, controlling and compulsive romantic caregiving behaviours, and lower sexual satisfaction than did participants who did not endorse such thoughts. In contrast, findings indicated that the behavioural systems did not predict self-injurious behaviours. Such findings suggest that dimensions of the three interrelated behavioural systems hold unique roles in understanding young adult self-injurious thoughts, and that the constructs that predict self-injurious thoughts may differ from those that predict self-injurious behaviours.

This dissertation is composed of three studies that examined illness-related stigma, depressive symptoms and attachment style among patients living with HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV). The first study examined the psychometric properties of a brief HIV Stigma Scale (B-HSS) in a sample of adult patients living with HIV (PHA) (n=94). The second study developed and explored the psychometric properties of the HCV Stigma Scale in a sample of adult patients living with HCV (PHC) (n =92). Psychometric properties were evaluated with classical test theory and item response theory methodology. The third study explored whether illness-related stigma mediated the relationship between insecure attachment styles (anxious attachment or avoidant attachment) and depressive symptoms among PHA (n =72) and PHC (n=83). From June to December 2008, patients were recruited to participate in a questionnaire study at the outpatient clinics in The Ottawa Hospital. Findings indicated that the 9-item B-HSS is a reliable and valid measure of HIV stigma with items that are highly discriminatory, which indicates that items are highly effective at discriminating patients with different levels of stigma. The 9-item HCV Stigma Scale was also found to be reliable and valid with highly discriminatory items that effectively differentiate PHC. Construct validity for both scales was supported by relationships with theoretically related constructs: depression and quality of life. Among PHA, when HIV stigma was controlled the relationship between anxious attachment style and depression was not significant. However, the relationship between avoidant attachment style and depressive symptoms decreased but remained significant. Among PHC when HCV stigma was controlled the relationship between insecure attachment styles and depressive symptoms was not significant. Dissertation results emphasize the importance of identifying patients experiencing illness-related stigma and the relevance of addressing stigma and attachment style when treating depressive symptoms among PHA and PHC.

LL.M. / Tydens die ontwikkeling van die verskeie besigheidsondernemingsvorme in Suid-Afrika is groot aandag geskenk aan statutere regulering van hierdie ondernemingsvorme, asook interaksie tussen hierdie statutere reguleringsmaatreels en harmonisering daarvan met bestaande wetgewing wat daarop van toepassing mag wees. Dit wil egter voorkom dat statutere regulering in Suid-Afrika ten aansien van sekere ondernemingsvorme ver tekort skiet, aangesien daar geen onafhanklike wetgewing in Suid-Afrika bestaan ten aansien van byvoorbeeld vennootskappe nie, anders as in ander werelddele. Daar kan derhaiwe tereg gese word dat die vennootskapsreg beskou kan word as die "stiefkind" van die Suid-Afrikaanse reg. Alhoewel daar steeds verskeie Ieemtes en anomaliee bestaan ten aansien van statutere gereguleerde ondernemingsvorme en harmonisering van sekere statutere bepalings daarop van toepassing, met bestaande wetgewing, wil dit voorkom asof die bestaande verwysingsbronne ten aansien van die vennootskapsreg en ander wetgewing ernstige anomaliee teweegbring, wat vervolgens selektief bespreek gaan word, met spesifieke verwysing na anomaliee wat bestaan in die toepassing van sekere bepalings van die Insolvensiewet ten aansien van vennootskappe.

Researchers are recognizing the importance of examining underlying family functioning in order to understand the varying influences of parental divorce on offspring. The current study investigated the relations among young adults’ attachment styles, their reported family-of-origin functioning and parents’ marital status (divorced or non-divorced), and their current feelings about and attitudes towards marriage, in a sample of 537 young adults, half of whom experienced the divorce of their parents. The results demonstrate that knowledge of divorce status alone does not tell the whole predictive story for a child’s later relational connections and attitudes. In fact, parental marital status may, at times, act as a proxy for lower intimacy, fewer democratic parenting practices, and higher conflict in the family. Family-of-origin functioning, and, in particular, higher levels of intimacy, was the best predictor of the young adult’s secure attachment in close relationships. Although adult children from divorced households did report more negative feelings and opinions of marriage, parents’ marital status, attachment style and family-of-origin functioning variables were all important in explaining their feelings about and attitudes towards marriage. Notably, those with higher levels of attachment avoidance were more likely to express negative feelings and opinions about marriage. It may be that the role of family functioning on attitude towards marriage includes an indirect pathway: Family-of-origin functioning predicts a young adult’s attachment style in close relationships, which, in turn, can have an important influence on their feelings about and attitudes towards the institution of marriage. Ultimately, we document that if a family-of-origin is experienced to be cohesive and close – even if parents do divorce – it appears that young adult children can still feel securely attached in their close relationships and still feel positively towards marriage. Therefore, the “intergenerational transmission of divorce,” is neither automatic nor inevitable and this term should no longer be utilized in the divorce literature. / Graduate

Over the past two decades, interest in the psychological development of children has steadily increased (Beg, Casey, & Saunders, 2007), presumably because statistics describing childhood psychological illness are alarming. Certain parent interaction styles or behaviors are known to influence child adjustment. According to attachment theory, the reason for these findings is that interaction with a caregiver informs an individual’s construction of an internal working model (IWM) of the self in relation to others in the environment. The purpose of this study was to gain a greater understanding of the factors contributing to child adjustment by examining the influence of parents’ emotional functioning and parent responsiveness to children’s bids for interaction. This dissertation tested a multivariate model of attachment-related processes and outcomes with an ethnically diverse sample. Results partially supported the model, in that parent emotional intelligence predicted some aspects of child adjustment. Overall, the study adds to knowledge about how parent characteristics influence child adjustment and provides support for conceptualizing emotional intelligence as a concrete and observable manifestation of the nonconscious attachment IWM.

Adopted children with special needs can experience a multitude of developmental, emotional, and behavioral issues as a result of pre-adoption maltreatment. On rare occasions, maltreated children can display behaviors severe enough to fit the criteria of reactive attachment disorder (RAD). Children with RAD are known to engage in self-destructive behavior, talk of killing others or themselves, verbal and physical aggression toward peers and adults, and a lack of discernment between parental figures and strangers. Given the uniqueness of these behaviors, the rarity of the disorder, and the lack of research in this area, further exploration is warranted. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the effects an adopted child with reactive attachment disorder (RAD) has on family functioning. Due to their being little research on RAD in the context of families, an exploratory approach was determined to be the best fit for this study. Kathy Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory guided this qualitative inquiry. Her approach, coupled with the use of semi-structured interviews, allowed for rich, descriptive information to be obtained, while allowing the researcher to include aspects of his experience in working with children with RAD. The relevant data collected included five families from the Midwest, and consisted of a total of 28 participants, with 14 adults and 14 children. The adopted children's mental health assessments, individual education plans, and the researcher's field notes were also included. Data analysis consisted of the constant comparative method. RAD behaviors were found to manifest themselves on a developmental continuum, with two dominant forms of thinking and behaviors identified. These behaviors are characterized as control-based, and are often perpetuated by high levels of anxiety. When this anxiety becomes unmanageable for the child, it is released in the form of rages toward those caregivers who are deemed as safe and for whom the child as the strongest relational bond. Traditional child therapies and behavior modification techniques were found to do little to change the course of these behaviors. Since children with RAD had no physical sign of a disorder, this commonly led the public to perceive their behaviors as being the result of parental incompetency. Parents who continually experienced public criticism found themselves purposefully withdrawing from society. This withdrawal was related to an increased sense of isolation, which was related to increased levels of stress, somatic complaints, and marital discord. Possible neurobiological factors involved in the development of RAD are discussed, along with practice and policy implications for families who adopt children with RAD.